Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Burgos

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,210 a month against $1,554 in Burgos, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,210
/mo nomad
Burgos
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,554
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Burgos

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Burgos actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,210 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,554 in Burgos, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,210
  • Burgos $1,554

A couple spends around $2,113 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,235 in Burgos, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,113
  • Burgos $2,235

A family of three spends $3,016 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,917 in Burgos, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $3,016
  • Burgos $2,917

Playa del Carmen is about 22% cheaper than Burgos, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Playa del Carmen sits 10% below the global median, while Burgos is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Burgos
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.76 MX$199
$18.04 €16.05
-40.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.03 MX$795
$55.4 €49.31
-22.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.79 MX$218
$10.08 €8.96
16.96%
Cappuccino
$3.87 MX$71.4
$1.83 €1.63
111.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 MX$25.29
$2.10 €1.87
-34.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84 MX$15.44
$1.53 €1.36
-45.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.10 MX$57.3
$3.37 €3.00
-8.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.07 MX$93.6
$3.39 €3.01
49.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Burgos
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$26.55
$1.16 €1.03
24.14%
White Bread (500g)
$2.23 MX$41.23
$1.13 €1.00
97.35%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.47 MX$27.17
$1.75 €1.56
-16.00%
Eggs
$2.53 MX$46.71
$2.52 €2.24
0.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.30 MX$135
$20.35 €18.10
-64.13%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.86 MX$145
$7.91 €7.03
-0.63%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.79 MX$236
$15.57 €13.85
-17.85%
Apples (1kg)
$2.90 MX$53.6
$2.28 €2.03
27.19%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 MX$26.53
$1.70 €1.51
-15.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.07
$1.66 €1.47
53.61%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.06 MX$38.03
$2.64 €2.35
-21.97%
Potato (1kg)
$2.00 MX$36.97
$1.37 €1.22
45.99%
Onion (1kg)
$2.01 MX$37.07
$1.96 €1.74
2.55%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 MX$22.02
$1.13 €1.01
5.31%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 MX$23.23
$1.01 €0.90
24.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.40 MX$81.4
$7.79 €6.93
-43.52%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.59 MX$177
$7.21 €6.42
33.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 MX$29.41
$1.10 €0.98
44.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81 MX$51.9
$1.76 €1.56
59.66%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Burgos
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.57 MX$10.47
$1.33 €1.18
-57.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.82 MX$514
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.98 MX$92.1
$6.68 €5.94
-25.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.50 MX$64.6
$0.94 €0.84
272.34%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.40 MX$99.8
$22.22 €19.77
-75.70%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 MX$27.08
$1.71 €1.53
-14.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K MX$387.8K
$36.2K €32.2K
-42.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.9K MX$441.8K
$29.4K €26.2K
-18.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Burgos
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.2 MX$1,556
$136 €121
-38.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.99 MX$443
$22.25 €19.79
7.82%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.02 MX$536
$34.45 €30.64
-15.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Burgos
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$63.0 MX$1,164
$30.44 €27.08
106.90%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.14 MX$539
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.94 MX$91.3
$5.55 €4.94
-10.99%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Burgos
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$204 MX$3,763
$446 €397
-54.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,941 MX$72.8K
$13.9K €12.3K
-71.55%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Burgos
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.60 MX$806
$99.8 €88.8
-56.31%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.12 MX$797
$32.16 €28.61
34.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.8 MX$1,400
$66.4 €59.0
14.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.6 MX$1,637
$133 €119
-33.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Burgos
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,008 MX$18.6K
$784 €698
28.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$374 MX$6,911
$642 €571
-41.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$31.6K
$1,067 €949
60.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,106 MX$20.4K
$840 €748
31.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,944 MX$72.9K
$2,360 €2,099
67.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,169 MX$114.0K
$2,118 €1,884
191.27%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Burgos
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$754 MX$13.9K
$2,469 €2,196
-69.45%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
2.92
292.12%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 10, 2026

Last update for Burgos: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$374
Burgos
$642 71.7% $268
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$258
Burgos
$277 7.1% $18
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Burgos
$235 16% $32
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Burgos
$193 40.5% $56
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$113
Burgos
$149 32.1% $36
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$73
Burgos
$42 43% $31
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$53
Burgos
$17 * 68.2% $36

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,008 in Playa del Carmen versus $784 in Burgos. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 227% higher in Burgos, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $55.0 in Burgos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $277 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇪🇸 Burgos
🕒 Local time
15:14 3:14 PM
22:14 10:14 PM
7 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
174,451
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.78 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Burgos 7,950 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Burgos

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Playa del Carmen vs Burgos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Burgos?
Burgos costs about 28% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen and in Burgos?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,816 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,330 in Burgos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Playa del Carmen or Burgos?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Playa del Carmen compared to Burgos?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,210 in Playa del Carmen and $1,554 in Burgos. That's a gap of about 28%.
How do childcare costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Burgos?
Kindergarten costs $204 per month in Playa del Carmen and $446 in Burgos. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Playa del Carmen or in Burgos?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,210, than in Burgos at $1,554. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Burgos it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Burgos?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,210 versus $1,554 in Burgos. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Playa del Carmen compared to Burgos?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Playa del Carmen or to Burgos?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Burgos makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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